This invention relates to the mounting of injection mold sections on the parallel spaced platens of an injection molding press and for attaching each mold section with a quick-change mounting system in order to provide for quickly interchanging injection molds with minimum down time of the molding press. One form of quick-change mounting system is produced by Tecnomagnete SpA in Milan, Italy. This system involves the use of electromagnetic plates which mount on the press platens and support ferrous mold sections with magnetic attraction after the mold sections have been properly located on the plates. Mold sections have also been mounted on press platens with expandable tapered collets operated by fluid cylinders, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,041. Quick connect couplers have also been used to provide a connection with ejector pins for a mold ejector plate, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,072. In addition, laterally sliding cam or wedge blocks or plates operated by hydraulic cylinders or screw jacks have been used to secure mold sections to their corresponding platens after the mold sections are properly located, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,275 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,908.
With any quick-change mold mounting system, it is desirable for the system to provide not only for a high clamping force securing each mold section to its supporting press platen, but also for precisely and quickly locating each mold section on its supporting platen. It is also desirable for a quick-change mold mounting system to be able to accommodate molds of various sizes and types as well as molds with non-magnetic surfaces. In addition, it is desirable for a quick-change mold mounting system to provide for mounting and attaching mold sections with conventional mounting and locating means such as clamping brackets with threaded bolts or screws and conventional locating pins.